Honoring, respecting and protecting the Merrick-Moore Community

Hello KIRC fam!

Usually on Sundays, I strive to share a calendar of events with upcoming items for the week(s) ahead, and news nuggets which may be of interest.

But this week, the offering is a bit different. KIRC is Celebrating Black History. Notice how I didn’t say celebrating the ‘month’ of February.

No. I believe the recognition of Black History spans well beyond a neat and tidy 28 days.

In fact, I believe that is true of every cultural group. How can any of us, regardless of our historical origins fit the breadth and depth of our cultural histories into such packages?

Past = Present = Future

Keeping It REAL Caregiving would like you to consider viewing ‘history’ of your cultural heritages through a more personal lens.

What does ‘history’ mean when you examine:

  • Your own family?

  • Your childhood neighborhood?

  • Family photo albums?

  • Stories passed down through generations?

Let’s consider that ‘history’ is not only something that happened in the distant past. What about the choices and decisions made by our immediate family members that have set new historical markers into motion?

That is the focus of today’s newsletter and it comes in the form of the following Keeping It REAL Caregiving produced video.

I had the opportunity to travel to North Carolina recently to spend time with a dear friend, who is giving an entirely new meaning to the scope of what caregiving is all about.

Bonita Green spent many years as a family caregiver and is now focusing her energies on ‘caring’ for and protecting the legacy of the community her parents helped build and where she grew up.

The Merrick-Moore community in Durham, North Carolina is an historically Black neighborhood, with a rich history and many legacy homeowners.

Green is the President of the Merrick-Moore Community Development Corporation, a non-profit which is working to push back against gentrification, improve infrastructure and safety, promote sustainability, and green spaces.

Her passion and devotion is partially aimed at ensuring future generations understand the historical landscape of this community and cherish it enough to protect the people and the land.

To learn more about the efforts, visit Merrick-Moore Community Development Corporation.

A huge THANK YOU to Bonita Green and the entire team with MMDC!

Have a family story to share?

*What is your family legacy and history?

*Do you have a story to share with others as we celebrate Black History?

*Do you have a story to share from any cultural heritage that showcases history, through the lens of your parents or grandparents?

KIRC would love to hear from you! Drop a line in the comment section or submit your information here for consideration. Heck, just let me know if you like what KIRC is doing :):)

Remember – all of us our making history in this moment -what we do today will leave an impact in the future. Let’s make it count!

Until next time~
Julia